1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mechanisms for solving problems of structural layout, or planning, and more particularly to mechanisms for simulating the attitudes or dispositions of intersecting structural elements to determine the exact configurations which are to be cut or otherwise formed in the elements at their intersecting point.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that the planning of structures such as buildings, bridges, pipe line systems, and the like are very complex and time consuming jobs which are aggrevated when the intersecting structural elements involved in the job are disposed in irregular attitudes and intersect at angles which are other than normal, or right angles.
By way of example, consider the intersection of a primary structural beam and a secondary structural beam, when the primary beam is disposed at an inclined angle and is rolled about its longitudinal axis, and the secondary beam is disposed horizontally and intersects the primary beam at an acute angle. The cut which must be made in the secondary beam where it intersects the primary beam in such a situation must be accurately pre-planned to insure a proper mating and structural interconnection of those beams.
A further example of this type of problem involves the intersection of conduits such as pipe of the type commonly employed to carry oil, gas, and the like. Consider a primary pipe which is horizontally disposed and a secondary pipe which tangentially intersects the primary pipe at an acute angle. Such a problem involves a cutout in the primary pipe and a mating cut in the secondary pipe, and both of those cuts must be accurately pre-planned to produce a tight fitting joint.
The pre-planning or solving of problems of the above described types are customarily accomplished by highly experienced and skilled engineers who spend many hours making detailed blueprints. The blueprints, by their very nature are complex and a high degree of skill is needed by the craftsmen to read and use such prints to produce the desired intersection. The complexity and degree of accuracy required in this type of layout work results in high construction costs and a relatively high error rate. Of course, if an error is relatively minor, the structural materials may be salvalged by making corrections in the field, but all too often this is not the case.
To the best of my knowledge, no apparatus or method has been developed or proposed which would reduce the error rate, time, and costs involved in the pre-planning of structural members.